Goodnight Zack

Every night Zack has a bath around 8:00.  He tells me it's time by begining to whimper.  It gets ugly if you don't give him a bath when he's ready...we almost got ourselves into a bad situation in Hong Kong when we were a long bus ride away from our hotel.

He loves being dried off as much as he loves the tub...maybe because he can eat the towel

Anyway after bath we read a story.  Zack loves to help hold the book.

After storytime he gets a bottle, which puts him to sleep and (don't be jealous) he sleeps until around 7:00 am.  He has been sleeping through the night since he was almost 2 months old.

Guess who is too big for the baby tub...

well...he isn't actually too too big, he is however getting more and more active and therefore more difficult to hold while washing.  Remember the little guy who became so "zen" in the tub?

Well that little guy has grown into this little guy...

He may look calm, but he is preparing himself for what is to come...

first he lifts his legs...then...

the blurr that turns into the splash that will soak mommy

For some reason I thought switching to the big tub I would be protected from the water...turns out the freedom makes it easier to make a BIG splash.
I love that he enjoys the tub so much.  It reminds me tub time when I was a kid.  My daddy always gave us a bath, which means there are lots of pictures of Scott and I with beards and funny hair made of bubbles.  The best part of the bath was "splash time".  My dad would close the shower curtain and we could splash as much as we wanted...as a parent I see how smart it is to designate a time for splashing.  How can I say "ABSOLUTELY NO SPLASHING" (stern voice) to this face?

looks like he's getting ready for the next splash!

I know, as a parent, there are many things I will have to say "no" to but splashing won't be one of them!

End of China Shopping!

I have been looking forward to this the whole time we've been here.  I have a long list of stuff that I was waiting until we were about to leave to pick up. 
I had a set of sheets and a duvet cover made.

The sheets are made in the navy, I had them make the fitted sheet extra deep so that my violent sleeping won't pull it off the bed.  I also got twin sized flat sheets so Adam and I could each have our own...things get pretty ugly when you have two blanket hogs...Adam wraps himself up and I kick blankets off the bed.  I feel in love with the pattern...it was not at all what I went looking for.  I really wanted something plain that I could dress up with fancy pillows and brightly painted walls.  The fabric spoke to me and I became inspired...all of a sudden some of the souvenirs and paintings we picked up will go with this perfectly.  I love that this is a one of a kind bedding set and I can't wait to see it on our bed!

I couldn't leave without picking up another bag...this one is for Tante Lorie.  She requested a Coach bag.  This bag retails for $298...they wanted me to pay $60 and I ended up paying $25.

The best purchases were the paintings and framings...

Zachary's footprints from the hospital...and his name in Chinese

Set of three paintings from Yangshou...photographed by me with my little pink camera...not too bad!

Grandpa Dalland's Christmas gift...this is him at the lake house

Adam's grandmothers Christmas gift...the mountain house

My pet project...a series of B&W's I took since our Honeymoon...there is some from almost everywhere we have been since.

They will become a wall mural in our home...someday

I can't wait to decorate our home.
Next I weekend I need to pick up Adam's Suit and look into...copy Le Cruset cookwear.

Our Last Weekend In HK

I am sad to say...we won't have another chance to spend a weekend in Hong Kong...at least for now.  Adam has been working a lot in preparation for leaving so Zachary and I went on Friday afternoon by ourselves and Adam joined us later that night.  We like to stay in Lan Kuai Fong (the Ex-Pat Bar area) because they have the best restaurants. The downside to staying here is the hills with steps (not very stroller friendly).  Zachary and I went to Mexican for dinner and walked around watching the bars open and the local Ex-Pats begin to gather to celebrate the end of the workday.
Saturday we went to the doctors for Zachary's 4 month appointment.  He showed off his standing and talking skills (not to mention his flirting skills with the nurses).  The doctor gave me some breast milk medication (like I mentioned in my Eping post...every medical intervention to do something so natural) and gave Zachary his immunizations.  Z turned red and got silent before SCREAMING...this lasted about 30 seconds before I stuck a bottle in his mouth and he fell asleep.  I am going to have to remember that even though he may be cranky...it wasn't such a bad idea to bring him to the doctor sleepy.
By the time we got back to the hotel he was finished napping (these 20 min cat naps are not the most convenient) and was back to himself. 

We remembered the nightmare from our 2 month appointment and trip to the big Buddha...and decided to spend the day out anyway.  I think the main reason he was so happy was the baby carrier...he hates being strapped in...this time we used the stroller and he was perfectly happy.
We went to a Lebanese restaurant for lunch...

walked on Hollywood rd...

and spent the afternoon in Stanley.  The Stanley markets are the most popular markets for tourists to pick up souvenirs. 

This is also a nice beach/boardwalk area.  We had a wonderful dinner outside on the boardwalk smelling the salty air; plus the breeze felt wonderful. 

Sunday morning we took it easy and slept in...all three of us.  Zachary woke up at 6:30 ate and fell back to sleep until 10:00.  I washed bottles and pumped (this isn't so easy in a hotel).  We traveled on the MTR back to the Chinese border and went through Lo Hu immigration for the last time...

I Got My Baby Back...

FINALLY!
It figures that our good camera would break before we went to the most beautiful place in China and when we have such a cute model waiting to be photographed.  Thank goodness we had my little pink camera and the video camera to use while we waited.  My pink camera did a great job but nothing compares to the pictures I can take with the big guy.
Here is a picture that was on the camera from before it broke.  Zachary was not quite 3 months.

I also had to test the camera when I picked it up...the girls at the shop loved watching Zachary smile for the camera.

I am also throwing a couple of after bath time pictures from this past weekend in Hong Kong.

There weren't many pictures without him trying to eat the towel.

The Roll of Bubble Wrap is Getting Smaller!!!!

We officially have nothing hanging on the walls...so sad.

My roll of bubble wrap is slowly disappearing.

And my baby boy is getting so big.

I just had to throw in a picture of Zachary :)

MEANWHILE...
it seams like yesterday that we (a family of two) moved to China with 7 very large pieces of luggage, an no idea what to expect.  Now, 18 months, 8 big trips, many day trips and weekend in Hong Kong and several small trips around China later...we have the sense to not try to carry that much luggage through China, two border crossings and on a train to the airport.  My goal is to send as much as we can in our shipment...it's much easier because when we arrive in NC we will have a place like Target or Old Navy to pick up anything we need.
ahhhhhhhhh...Target...

I am looking forward to being an American who takes things for granted...

however...it will be a while before I take anything for granted!  Of course I am super excited about seeing family and friends...no one did anything without us...right...because nothing was supposed to change while we were gone!  Just kidding...we are fully aware that we missed weddings and babies and holidays and dinners out etc..
To be perfectly honest I have daydreams of grocery shopping and driving my own car.  There are many times Adam catches me staring off into space...he always asks what I am thinking and I usually say I'm not thinking of anything because even I think I'm crazy.  I can't wait to walk down the aisle of cleaners.  I am going to pick cleaning products based on scent and quality...rather than picking based on which product has a picture of what it should be used for.  I can't wait to smell my laundry that was washed in Tide Fresh Scent.  I can't wait to buy milk and not have to pour a little down the sink to make sure it isn't chunky.  I can't wait to have a whole aisle of cereal to choose from.  I am not gonna lie it is going to be really nice to be able to buy diapers that actually work...poor Zachary is on sized L diapers to help control exploding poops. 
More than anything I am going to love being independent again...having a car so I can take myself (and Z) wherever, whenever I want (or at least when Zack will let me).  Not only that but I won't have to wait for the grocery store to open at 10:00.
If you could see me right now I am glowing at the thought of driving myself to the grocery store in my own car (which, even though we will be living in a hotel for a few weeks, will be one of the first things I do...you know just to look).